Redskins giving Washington reason to be excited about December

Photos of past Ravens-Redskins scrimmages, preseason matchups and regular-season games

Edward Lee

In the recent past, when the calendar flipped to December, fans of the Washington Redskins could look forward to the holidays but little else.

The same can’t be said this season as the team is in the thick of the playoff hunt. At 6-6, Washington is just one game behind the New York Giants in the NFC East and one game behind the Seattle Seahawks for the final berth in the NFC postseason and could take one step closer with a victory over the Ravens this Sunday at FedEx Field in Landover.

It’s a feeling that wide receiver Santana Moss wants his teammates to enjoy, but not lose sight of the fact that there are four more games on the regular-season schedule.

“Any time your team gets a chance to experience the kind of winning we’ve been having, it’s always fun,” Moss said after Wednesday’s practice. “That’s why you play the game. The one thing you’ve got to be mindful of is, just enjoy it, but at the end of the day, keep the same focus and goals in mind. That’s what we’re trying to do. At the end of the day, we’re happy because you don’t want to be on the other end of the stick, but we know we still have a lot of work to do.”

The Redskins are aiming for their first playoff berth since 2007, and they are .500 or better for the first time since 2008. That Jim Zorn-coached squad was 7-5 after Week 13, but dropped three of its last four contests.

Starting right guard Chris Chester spent his first five seasons with the Ravens and went to the playoffs four times. But he said he hasn’t talked about his playoff experiences with his teammates because they haven’t clinched a spot yet.

“That’s goal No. 1,” Chester said of the team positioning itself for a run to the postseason. “There’s the bigger goal beyond that, but it’s great and really exciting to be a part of it. I’m just excited. There’s a great energy here, and hopefully, we’re peaking.”